Currently, therapeutic substance delivery or administering devices (e.g., implantable infusion pumps for dispensing a therapeutic substance, such as the MMT2001 Implantable Pump System sold by Minimed Inc., of Northridge, Calif. for insulin infusion) are commercially available. In addition, real-time continuous monitoring of a selected state of a body are also available, e.g., glucose monitoring devices, such as the MiniMed Guardian™, the MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System™ (CGMS), and the DexCOm™ STS™.
Currently no device is commercially available that can communicate both with the monitoring device and the therapeutic substance delivery device to control the delivery of the therapeutic substance based on the selected state of the subject's body. Such a device will allow automated monitoring of a subject's condition and provide appropriate delivery of therapeutic agents when needed. This automated system will be useful in avoiding or reducing a potentially dangerous situation from occurring.
Therefore, there is a need for a receiver-controller type device that can receive a signal generated by the monitoring device and control the operation of the therapeutic substance delivery device based on the signal it receives from the monitoring device.